In December I need to find a way to sit still for 15 days straight. No easy task for me.

For a long time I've been thinking about quilting. I love quilts and am wondering if it is hard? Do you HAVE to use a sewing machine? Can it be done by hand? I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to pick out a sewing machine let alone what to do with it. Actually, I don't want a sewing machine.

I've done counted cross stitch, matter of fact I started on a project 15 years ago and still haven't finished it. I don't think that one is going to work.

Needlepoint is out too. Tried that once and you have to be able to see color. I'm color deficient and if the yarn/thread isn't numbered with an ID number I have no clue what color it is. Those kit things come with all the colors mixed up. Not workable.

What is fun yet idiot proof?

wellll, WASA I can think of a few...fun 'idiot-proof' things that we could do!!

(come on! that last line was just...perfect!)

wellll, WASA I can think of a few...fun 'idiot-proof' things that we could do!!

(come on! that last line was just...perfect!)

Something where I stay still and you do all the work and I'll like it?? Do tell!

mmmm...not quite. but they are still fun and idiot proof

Some ideas. Being color deficient there are a few things I can think of. Like painting christmas ornaments for use on your tree to put on gifts. The bottles or tubes of paint are usually well marked also, you can get unpainted ornaments in porceline, plastic wood etc. And they don't require you to be be an expert.

I used to do these allot and most everyone loved them. And if you can find ones that hold photos or that you can personalize in some way people adore them even more.

Plastic canvas is another option. As long as you stay away from kits. Yarn skeins usually have the color marked on them and you don't have to get complex. The are easier and faster to do then embroidery/needle point. And you can make tons of household things out of the stuff. From coasters in simple patterns and colors for holidays or to match decors. to kelenex box covers, toilet roll covers, fridge magnets, photo xmas ornaments, trinket boxes, piggy banks, baskets, book covers and so much more. ummm I'm gonna have to hit the craft section of walmart now and see what I wanna do this year. lol

to answer your question about quilting, if you cut all your squares beforehand and had all your pieces ready to go you could definitely sit there for 15 days straight and do nothing but hand stitch...you'd also need an Iron and ironing board close at hand. Look at the craft stores for mini-quilt patterns or kits. If you have sewing experience it should be a piece of cake for you. The hard part about quilting is getting everything to line up ... you have to have just about perfect 1/4" seams for every square or else at the end it's just like a big parallelogram...LOL. Or a trapezoid.... one of those weird shapes!

You could do a counted cross stitch or embroidery that's all one color.... usually done in red (redwork). One of the many crafts I've done over the years was to embroider dish towels...like our moms used to have...remember those? I collect them as well. You can get the iron on patterns at Hobby Lobby...don't know if Michael's has them.

hey, you could just sit online all day non stop? oh wait! you already do that.

In December I need to find a way to sit still for 15 days straight. No easy task for me.

For a long time I've been thinking about quilting. I love quilts and am wondering if it is hard? Do you HAVE to use a sewing machine? Can it be done by hand? I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to pick out a sewing machine let alone what to do with it. Actually, I don't want a sewing machine.

I've done counted cross stitch, matter of fact I started on a project 15 years ago and still haven't finished it. I don't think that one is going to work.

Needlepoint is out too. Tried that once and you have to be able to see color. I'm color deficient and if the yarn/thread isn't numbered with an ID number I have no clue what color it is. Those kit things come with all the colors mixed up. Not workable.

What is fun yet idiot proof?

Wasa,

First of all congrats on hitting your goal! From the first time very early on in my endeavor you helped me immensely. Thanks to you, I didn't have to go through the horrible experience of liquid vitamins!! Now, some ideas. A knitting board...you don't have to know how to knit and it goes very fast--the web site is knittingboard.com. Go figure. Just check it out if you have time. You can make simple scarves like there's no tomorrow and then give them to charity. Also, I think you have animals?..anyway, you can make scrapbook pages from photos you have. Any scrapbook site can give you information on how to do it. It's easy, fun and will keep ya busy!! Tell me what you think. Take care.

I also think knitting would be a good idea. You can knit anything in any colour, and when your 15 days are up, you can take it undone easily and if you like knitting you can knit something else. If you don't,you can throw it away or give it to the thrift shop.

Another good idea would be for you to knit squares and sew them together to make blankets to send to the illegal immigrants to keep them warm whilst travelling over the border. What about ponchos, they would be even better.

Quilting - I believe the word "Quilting" actually refers to the process of sewing the layers together in a quilt. (i.e. Top, Fluff & Bottom) If I'm right about that then the Quilting part can easily be done by hand by buying a cheap plastic frame at a local sewing shop to hold the layers together while you sew. You clamp it down one section at a time moving the frame as you complete each section. There isn't even any ironing involved in this stage. But as another poster mentioned sewing all the individual squares together to create the top layer and getting them all straight is an absolute bear.

Good Luck - And may I ask why you're needing this busywork in December?

Oh, I forgot to mention. I started a quilt myself several years ago. Got the top all put together and started hand quilting the layers together but never finished it up. I'd be more than glad to send it on to you to work on. Don't even care if you kept it. It has pale green & red "calico-esque" squares arranged in a kind of purina dog chow pattern.

Take the opportunity to get caught up on some movies, or if you have TIVO stock up on some shows. I'm not a big TV watcher, but it is a good way to pass time.

I draw/paint, so I would definitely have a tablet, some charcoal, paints, etc. nearby -- and a lap desk!!

Sudoku, crosswords, etc?

I know nothing about quilting, but if I were facing the same thing, I would get my momt o show me how to crochet or knit or tat (tatt) or something like that. Even though I'd probably not do well, it will keep your hands & brain busy.

How about giving sculture a try? Just to try it out you could get some of the Hobby Lobby type modeling clay, can't remember what it's called... total brain fart... comes in tons of colors.

I find crochet easier than knitting, and you can do a solid color blanket or something. I started on a blanket a long time ago that has sat unfinished, I imagine I'll start up on it again soon. The yarn is this velvety stuff and I'm already like 5 skeins (sp) in (skein being bundle of yarn). I'm hoping it'll be a nice king size throw for whenever I get a king size bed. If I had 15 days straight to do it, I *might* be able to finish it. I helped my mom crochet baby blankets for my nephew and niece. We agreed at the start that they'd be blankets the babies USE (IE drag through the dirt), so they didn't have to look perfect when we were done, but they were cute.

Here's my quick 2 cents..

I thought about quilting a year ago, another forum I belong to.. there's a woman who does them for a living. Who better to get advice on starting up??

So.. I didn't realize personally how much goes into them. You have to have a sewing machine, you have like 3 different layers you have to put together (the backing, batting, and the front quilt).. she explained how in depth it is.. so I bought a book (easy quilting book, teaches you to make the quilt on the cover). Was so over my head-- and I'm pretty good at crafts..and the book is now sitting in the bookshelf.

Where I think it looks totally neat, I would never have the patience to do it.

You could try whole cloth quilting. You can purchase a template or a washable ink stamped top with the design on it. Then you layer the three together and go around the design quilting. It looks really cool when it's done. I haven't done one yet, but I have the template waiting when I catch up on all my other quilt projects :0)

Crochet! Once you get the hang of it, it's so easy. You can make a nice scarf in just a few hours.